Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has been traveling to promote sales of his new book, but has drawn more attention toward his antiquated attitude toward homosexuality. Scalia's most divisive comments were given in a speech made at Princeton University, "If we cannot have moral feelings against homosexuality, can we have it against murder? Can we have it against other things?"

According to Geoff Mulvihill of The Huffington Post, "Scalia said he is not equating sodomy with murder but drawing a parallel between the bans on both." Despite the attempt to disguise his intolerance as philosophical pondering, Scalia is drawing connections between consensual homosexuality and non-consensual attacks against other persons.

The "slippery slope" argument being used by Scalia to defend his obstinate and degrading views on homosexuals is without reasonable justification. There are distinct motivations to be opposed to murder, which is harmful and against the will of everyone who suffers it.

Homosexuality, as Christopher Hitchens noted in an interview with the New York Times, "Homosexuality is a form of love and not just sex." Homosexuality, as Hitchens points out, is not simply an act, but a form of affection, and should be easily distinguishable from the malice demonstrated by murderers, especially to a Supreme Court justice.

Homosexuality is not a caustic injustice that threatens the foundations of society, as bigots would suggest when comparing it to moral evils like murder. Homosexuality is only one aspect of many people's identity, and few of them present the danger many homophobes fear and can't seem to stop thinking about.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Despite losing the WPS, an elite league for women's soccer, one of the few professional sports leagues for women in the United States, the year has been filled with bright spots and landmark events for female athletes.

The 2012 London Summer Olympics had female athletes compete in every event for the first time in its history. The United States also sent more female athletes than male to the competition for the first time.

ESPN writer Josh Gross explains, "The UFC had long balked at the prospect of adding women into its fold
because of the perception that there wasn't enough depth to create
meaningful weight classes. Rousey's rising stardom had a significant
impact on the way White viewed the potential for female fighters in the
UFC."

Vonn isn't the only female athlete challenging men in traditionally male-dominated sports, internet sensation Samantha Gordon has also gained significant attention for her phenomenal football athletics and has drawn many to consider the future women have in the contact sport.

About UMass Dartmouth Center for Women, Gender & Sexuality

Since 1970 The UMass D Center for Women, Gender and Sexuality has been serving our community. We are here to offer education, information, friendship, support, conversation, entertainment, encouragement and insight!
We are located on the 2nd floor of Campus Center, between SAIL and the Torch office.
For more information
visit: www.umassd.edu/cwgs
Call: 508.910.4584

MVP Powder Puff Game

The following are the picture taken at the first ever UMass Dartmouth Mentors in Violence Prevention Powder Puff game! Thank you to all the women who participated, and all the men and women who came to cheer us on.